The Catcher in the Rye Poster

The Catcher in the Rye PosterThe original cover art for the first edition (1951) of this hugely successful and popular novel was created by E. Michael Mitchell, Canadian born artist and one of J. D. Salinger's very few close friends. Salinger typically resisted cover art, as he did not want the reader to be influenced unduly by it so we can only assume he approved of his friend's work, which draws its inspiration from the carousel horse, featured towards the end of the novel. A1

including A Streetcar Named Desire

Vanessa Bell

reflecting some of Huxley's message - albeit unknowingly

has been credited with revolutionizing book design

Cover design by Richard M

This friendly message comes complete with crop-marks

or what it was about

This short novel by Lawrence was originally called The Escaped Cock

Hawkins' modernist design mirrors Faulkner's use of Christian allegory to depict the stories of birth

but there is no crueller pain than losing your treasured favourites

and we like to think this must have informed his illustration of Herman Melville's 1851 classic novel

but I Capture the Castle was recently included in the BBC's list of the 100 most inspiring books